An international investigation of social circumstances and driver licenses for elder persons

In recent years, the trend toward the nuclear family and the phenomenon of under-population in rural areas has increased the number of elder people who live alone. Therefore, elder people have to drive themselves to go shopping or to a hospital. However, the elderly person also has a tendency to display reduced abilities of judgment and cognition and, in severe cases, displays dementia. In this paper, the brief results of an international investigation of traffic accidents among elder people based on databases published by public institutions are discussed. The aging rate and the number of dementia patients increase with the average life expectancy when it is over 70 years. Currently, the number of traffic accidents among elder people is increasing. Policies preventing the renewal of driver licenses for elder people are implemented in several countries. However, communication with family and neighbors is effective in preventing elder people from being involved in traffic accidents while walking.